Chapter 7. Performance and adaptability

When Windows XP is running well in the
computer and all the user programs are installed, then everything seems to be
all right. But there are several options in Windows XP worth looking at.

When Windows XP starts up, it is done with
lots of standard settings, which might not be the best choice for you. Among
other things Windows XP has as standard a very colourful and resource-demanding
graphic user interface, which might seem rather intrusive. I prefer the
classical Windows 2000 user interface, which is easy to activate. But you can
also find several other setting options suitable for the more demanding users.

As standard the taskbar is locked when
Windows XP has just been installed, and the small practical buttons in the area
Quick launch are not shown. This is why I always begin by right clicking on
the Start button and choosing Properties. My settings on the tab Taskbar are
the same as those in Figure 42.

One of the big changes in Windows XP was
the colourful user interface with lots of animations and other smart graphic
effects. People have different tastes but there is no doubt that from the point
of view of efficiency then the classical Windows look is to be preferred. The
traditional user interface is much faster to use and the computer employs a
minimum of power to register the individual program windows.

Windows classical is chosen from the tab
Themes in the dialog box Properties for screen (which can be found by, for
example, right clicking on the desktop):

Figure 43. The classical Windows look just works.

When you click on
OK, it takes a couple of second while Windows XP changes the graphic user
interface to the classical look. You can also minimize the effects via the
dialog box Properties for system, which is opened most easily with the Windows
key+Pause. Then click on the tab Advanced and then on the
topmost button Settings for performance:

Select Adjust for
best performance as shown below. You can see a list of all the graphic effects,
which are deactivated:

I recommend the
user interface I use myself. It is well though out and works without too much
frills and fuss. In this booklet, however, clips will usually be shown from the
normal and more colourful Windows XP user interface.

I also usually remove the bi-colours in the
program title bar. This is done via the tab Appearance in the dialog box
Properties for screen. Click on the button Advanced. Then click on the bar Active
window and select the same colour twice:

Figure 44. It can be irritating with two colours in
menu bars. They have been removed here.

The program Windows Explorer is a central
feature when working with files and folders. Here are some settings for Windows
Explorer, which will ensure maximum control over the files and their location:

View details. View details is, I think, the best option for a super user:

When the display is selected, it should apply
to all folders. Select the menu Tools Folder options:

Click on the tab View, and click on the button
Apply to all folders:

View all files
and complete file names. As standard Windows
conceals the last part of the files' titles in Windows Explorer. This can often
be very irritating; there might be, for example, several file titles with the
same beginning in a folder, and if you can't see the rest of the title, it can
be very difficult to see the difference. This is easy to change. On the same
tab, View (in Folder options), you can see several options, which ensure
maximum information about files and folders:

Figure 45. As standard Windows conceals a number of
file and folder details. But this is easy to change.

Superfluous elements in the Start
menu

Finally there is the Start menu, which it
can also be a good idea to adjust.

Figure 46. If you are tired of the Start menu's
appearance, then it can also be changed.

The line of
thinking behind the Start menu is, in fact, rather good; the idea is that the
menu should itself keep an eye on, which programs you use. So shortcuts are automatically
created for, for example, the last five programs, you have worked with. But
sometimes it seems as if the menu has been covered with a little too many
shortcuts. Then it is a good thing to tidy up.

By right clicking on the Start button you
can choose Properties and the tab Menu Start. A click on the button Customize gives
you options for simplifying the Start menu in different ways.